Learning to Ride a Bike

In "]news:[email hidden], Steve McGinty
<stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> typed:

Quoted message said:

My SO has just announced she'd like to try going out cycling with me. The problem is she's never
learnt to ride a bike. As I was cycling almost before I was out of nappies I've no idea about
teaching her how to ride a bike.

Any tips on how to teach her, or experience from anyone who learned to ride as an adult?

Saddle down so she can put both feet flat on the ground, pedals off and get used to scooting it.
Gradually she will get used to coasting along with both feet off the ground for steadily increasing
distances. Then add pedals and its just a case of putting the lifted up feet on the pedals and then
turning the pedals.

Tony

--
raven-family.comraven-family.comOpen ↗

"All truth goes through three steps: First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed.
Finally, it is accepted as self-evident." Arthur Schopenhauer

"Steve McGinty" <stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

My SO has just announced she'd like to try going out cycling with me. The problem is she's never
learnt to ride a bike. As I was cycling almost before I was out of nappies I've no idea about
teaching her how to ride a bike.

Any tips on how to teach her, or experience from anyone who learned to ride as an adult?

Unhelpful answer - tandem.

Well, it's the best solution if your SO wants to go out cycling with you. Doesn't help if she wants
to ride on her own too though!

cheers, clive

Steve McGinty said:

My SO has just announced she'd like to try going out cycling with me. The problem is she's never
learnt to ride a bike. As I was cycling almost before I was out of nappies I've no idea about
teaching her how to ride a bike.

Any tips on how to teach her, or experience from anyone who learned to ride as an adult?

If you are based in SE London (probably not) Greenwich Cyclists are running free cycle training
session soon.

Steve McGinty stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com said:

Any tips on how to teach her, or experience from anyone who learned to ride as an adult?

Wide, flat area - scoot first (with feet flat on floor and probably pedals removed) then add
pedalling as the technique of Not Falling Over is mastered. It doesn't take long, my wife learned
to ride in no time and now pilots the family triplet with the two children on the back for the
school run.

Note that differential fitess may may ensemble riding difficult to start with.

Note also that while she's learning you need to make sure she starts with good habits, like spinning
up hills instead of grinding up in high gears. Buy her a copy of Richard's Bicycle Book and John
Franklin's Cyclecraft (brilliant book if somewhat dry).

Make sure you move her saddle up as far as she will let you get away with it as soon as she will
allow you to. None of that "knees around the ears" stuff thank you very much - save that for a More
Appropriate Location ;-)

Guy
===
** WARNING ** This posting may contain traces of irony. chapmancentral.comchapmancentral.comOpen ↗ (BT ADSL and
dynamic DNS permitting)
NOTE: BT Openworld have now blocked port 25 (without notice), so old mail addresses may no longer
work. Apologies.

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

<snip>

Quoted message said:

John Franklin's Cyclecraft (brilliant book if somewhat dry).

<snip>

Anyone have a copy I can have a flick through? Or do W.H.Smith do it ... ? I don't think I need it,
but wouldn't mind a flick through a chapter or two. If it's worthy of my shelf, I'll jump on Amazon
.. (ISBN: 0117020516)

Nick

In "]news:[email hidden], Just zis Guy, you know?
<[email hidden]> typed:

Quoted message said:

Over is mastered. It doesn't take long, my wife learned to ride in no time and now pilots the
family triplet with the two children on the back for the school run.

Is this something similar in design to the Goodies' trandem? 😉

Alex

Clive George said:

Unhelpful answer - tandem.

Well, it's the best solution if your SO wants to go out cycling with you. Doesn't help if she
wants to ride on her own too though!

Actually, a good friend taught his SO to cycle by getting a tandem so they could go touring
together, and she stoked that round the Hebrides before she had her own solo (which she doesn't use
much, rather preferring the back of the G-twin if they're out for a day).

So not necessarily *that* unhelpful at all! There are definite advantages of this route: a beginner
without years of cycling muscles can easily keep up (what with being linked by a steel tube!) with
old hands (feet?) and start by doing fair size fun and interesting trips.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

. Woss "SO"?

Quoted message said:

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

<snip>

Quoted message said:

John Franklin's Cyclecraft (brilliant book if somewhat dry).

<snip>

Anyone have a copy I can have a flick through? Or do W.H.Smith do it ... ? I don't think I need
it, but wouldn't mind a flick through a chapter or two. If it's worthy of my shelf, I'll jump on
Amazon .. (ISBN: 0117020516)

Nick

Quoted message said:

. Woss "SO"?

"Significant Other" = politically correct speak for SWMBO, "'er indoors", etc.

Quoted message said:

. Woss "SO"?

"Significant Other", sweeping catch-all for variously boy/girlfriend, partner, husband, wife, SWMBO,
Light of my Life, Designated Shag, etc. etc.

Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net [email hidden]
dundee.ac.uk~pjclinchOpen ↗

Thus spake [email hidden]

Quoted message said:

. Woss "SO"?

Quoted message said:

"Just zis Guy, you know?" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

<snip>

Quoted message said:

John Franklin's Cyclecraft (brilliant book if somewhat dry).

<snip>

Anyone have a copy I can have a flick through? Or do W.H.Smith do

it ... ? I

Quoted message said:

don't think I need it, but wouldn't mind a flick through a chapter

or two.

Quoted message said:

If it's worthy of my shelf, I'll jump on Amazon .. (ISBN: 0117020516)

Nick

Politically correct speak for significant other ~=partner ~= live-in lover/spouse etc.

--
Helen D. Vecht: [email hidden] Edgware.

Quoted message said:

Saddle down so she can put both feet flat on the ground, pedals off and get used to scooting it.
Gradually she will get used to coasting along with both feet off the ground for steadily
increasing distances. Then add pedals and its just a case of putting the lifted up feet on the
pedals and then turning the pedals.

Is this a good technique to teach 5 year olds as well? My son doesn't seem to be getting the hang of
riding and I think that it might be the stabilisers hindering rather than helping.

Al

Al said:

Quoted message said:

Saddle down so she can put both feet flat on the ground, pedals off and get used to scooting it.
Gradually she will get used to coasting along with both feet off the ground for steadily
increasing distances. Then add pedals and its just a case of putting the lifted up feet on the
pedals and then turning the pedals.

Is this a good technique to teach 5 year olds as well? My son doesn't seem to be getting the hang
of riding and I think that it might be the stabilisers hindering rather than helping.

Yes. In fact there is a bike out there on the market aimed at the young learner, called Like-a-Bike,
which uses this principle. Much cheaper taking the pedals off though.

Colin

Quoted message said:

.. Woss "SO"?

Sausage Oven.

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Over is mastered. It doesn't take long, my wife learned to ride in no time and now pilots the
family triplet with the two children on the back for the school run.

Quoted message said:

Is this something similar in design to the Goodies' trandem? 😉

Judge for yourself:

chapmancentral.comme n u2Open ↗

--
Guy
===
I wonder if you wouldn't mind piecing out our imperfections with your thoughts; and while you're
about it perhaps you could think when we talk of bicycles, that you see them printing their proud
wheels i' the receiving earth; thanks awfully.

In article <[email hidden]>, Al

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

Saddle down so she can put both feet flat on the ground, pedals off and get used to scooting it.
Gradually she will get used to coasting along with both feet off the ground for steadily
increasing distances. Then add pedals and its just a case of putting the lifted up feet on the
pedals and then turning the pedals.

Is this a good technique to teach 5 year olds as well? My son doesn't seem to be getting the hang
of riding and I think that it might be the stabilisers hindering rather than helping.

Even better if you can do it on grass - less hurt if they fall off. When he does want to start
pedalling do that on level short grass too - the bike can't run away from under him.

hth

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global Village sandymillport.fsnet.co.uksandymillport.fsnet.co.ukOpen ↗

"Tony Raven" <[email hidden]> wrote in message
"]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

In "]news:[email hidden], Steve McGinty
<stephenmcginty@ntlworld_DOT_.com> typed: .

Quoted message said:

Any tips on how to teach her, or experience from anyone who learned to ride as an adult?

Saddle down so she can put both feet flat on the ground, pedals off and

get

Quoted message said:

used to scooting it. Gradually she will get used to coasting along with both feet off the ground
for steadily increasing distances. Then add

pedals

Quoted message said:

and its just a case of putting the lifted up feet on the pedals and then turning the pedals.

And any tips for deserted suitable locations for such teaching (for someone who doesn't want anyone
else to see her attempts at learning)?

Rich

In article <[email hidden]>, Richard Goodman

Quoted message said:

And any tips for deserted suitable locations for such teaching (for someone who doesn't want
anyone else to see her attempts at learning)?

The grass in front of my shop on the Bicycle Island will have a few young people doing exactly the
same thing.

--
A T (Sandy) Morton on the Bicycle Island In the Global Village sandymillport.fsnet.co.uksandymillport.fsnet.co.ukOpen ↗

"Daniel Wilcox" <[email hidden]> wrote in message "]news:[email hidden]...

Quoted message said:

Quoted message said:

.. Woss "SO"?

Sausage Oven.

LOL. I shall never again be able to hear that expression without smirking.

Rich